Thanks for telling us about Lance, Jack. Isn't it something, how all of a
sudden, sometimes, something goes "pop" inside the head of a young sleddog
who has just reached physical maturity, and suddenly the "doofus"
disappears and a gritty, determined worker emerges! The racing mob seldom
benefit from these late-maturing prodigies, because their entire training,
selection and breeding methodology is geared to early maturity (as are,
for that matter, those of the showdog contingent -- witness all the
"champions" out of puppy classes, at least in Canada).

Amen to the value of good wheelers! Up here in the Yukon I consider them
just as essential as good leaders. Without consistent pulling and
intelligent trail sense on the part of that first pair ahead of the sled,
you hit too many trees and rocks to suit me! How many times have I picked
up broken pieces of other peoples' sleds off our trails, proving that some
folks just don't have good wheelers getting them around the tight curves!
For comfort and security on the trail, you gotta have 'em!